Eats on the Streets

By
Erin

Do you ever get tired of seeing the same boiled hot dogs and $5 sodas at every food cart around town? I love getting lunch from a street cart, but D.C. has a long way to go before it offers the variety of cities like Philadelphia and New York. Today's Food section gives the scoop on a group of street food vendors who are going beyond hot dogs.

I don't have anything against hot dogs -- I really love a good grilled dog with fresh onions and a bit of mustard -- but I tend to seek them out at baseball games or, say, M'Dawg. For lunch on the street, I like to have variety and flair. I envy people who can walk along a single block and decide between spanakopitas, lo mein, crepes and a tofu wrap. At this point, I feel lucky if I can decide between Pepsi and Coke. This map gives the present and future locations of several vendors who will be serving Korean barbecue, wings, pizza, gelato and even soul food. It's certainly promising, but we have a long way to go.

So where are your favorite street carts? Pedro and Vinny's at the southwest corner of 15th and K streets puts together a fine burrito that can be amped up to any spice level, while Fritz loves the pupusa lady in front of the Arlington courthouse. If you shy away from food on the street, what is your quick and easy lunch preference?

It is too bad that they are all so concentraed in one area. What about the huge number of office buildings and mediocre food choices in the K/L/M//18 - 20 area? Some street vendor food options there would be oh so welcome

...the very best hot dogs and half-smokes, complete with homemade chili and kraut, the works for $1.25 are still where they've always been, on the GWU campus on the south side of I street near 22nd...and my friend carries all the best juices along with the soft drinks, cheaper than anywhere else...get in line...you'll be back

I don't think my favorite street cart exists. It would sell a couple varieties of banh mi and bun, with cha gao, goi cuon, bubble teas... All those Vietnamese bakeries in Falls Church and none in DC - why?